Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre

Having had porridge in bed, we set off early this morning for the Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre and Country Park. We retraced our steps from yesterday back through Ambion Wood.

This is the start of the wood, clearly marked.

Once through the wood the Heritage Centre comes into view, albeit not the pretty side!

This is Ambion Wood from the other side of the field in the photo above.

This is the entrance to the Heritage Centre. We decided to return here later and chose to do the battlefield walk first. Of course I say battlefield, but it has been proven since the centre was built and all the work done to the adjoining area, that in fact it is not the battlefield as previously thought, but some mile or so away. Such is the advances in archaeology in recent years. We have walked part of the area previously when moored at the battlefield moorings, but since then there has been a lot of additions along the route.

This sundial is definitely new, along with the pathway that leads to it.

This display is also new, and describes where the battle actually took place, and shows it on the maps pictures.

This picture shows Ambion Hill where the battle was originally thought to have taken place, the new findings indicate that it actually took place beyond the canal.

This is just one of the new descriptions, around the site, some of which you can play a recording by winding a handle, same principle as a wind up radio or torch.

We then arrived at Shenton Station, which is the terminus of the Battlefield line railway. We then walked along the Shenton Cutting woodland walk, and came across a hide above a pond, there were redwings here, and Jo tried to take a photo, and eventually got one, before 2 chaps came noisily up to the hide and frightened them away, grrrrr.

We continued along the route until we arrived at King Dick’s Well. Well what can I say?

We returned to the Heritage centre, this is the inner part, with the cafe in view. There is not a lot here this time of the year, when we have been here previously there was a display of ancient Briton life, with role playing activities. It is all very quiet here this time of year.

In this day and age of his & hers, this must be equivalent in stocks, Jo’s is the one on the left, the shorter one!

This is supposed to be King Richard’s stone coffin.

I found these unusual toadstools, which are curling upwards. I think they are Clitocybe Vibecina.

These small ones are rather pretty in a strange way. I am not sure what they are, but could be Marasmius Torquescens.  I have recently taken an interest in fungi, and would like to go on a course to determine which are toadstools and which are mushrooms.

During the morning we had heard gunshots close by. As we walked back to the wharf, and cleared Ambion Wood we came across the shooters, awaiting birds to fly from the woods. We got chatting to one of them who was closest to the footpath. They obviously didn’t have any further success because we have not heard any further gunfire since we saw them. We returned to Sutton Wharf, and had lunch of Chicken & Vegetable Curry, with poppadum, naan bread and mango chutney, very tasty. Upon returning to the boat, Paddy had obviously not liked the gunfire, which we know he hates, as the rag rugs in the boatman’s cabin were all over the place!

Keith.